As the sun rose its way into a new day, Ley and Felix made their advances for school—having eaten their breakfast with the family, showering consequently, and getting dressed in their uniforms just in time for the school bus.

But before the two could even step outside the house and wait for the bus, their eyes met, having exited their rooms simultaneously.

“Oh, hey," Ley greeted Felix. “I heard that everyone in the family has a custom card with their names engraved on it. Is it true?”

“Yeah, it’s true," Felix replied. “Do you want to see mine?”

“Yes, please," Ley answered excitedly.

“Here,” Felix responded, handing his custom card for Ley to hold. “So… what are you first planning to do with your card?”

The third-floor hallway filled itself with silence after Ley, who was mesmerized by the two custom cards he’s holding, admiring each card’s unique and beautiful design, didn’t answer.

“Wow… Mine’s black and gold, while yours are gold and white," Ley said happily.

“Yeah, everyone’s are color-coded," Felix replied proudly. “Mine’s gold, yours black, Iris's purple, Alex’s red, Dad’s blue, and Mom’s white.”

“Ooh… I love that,” Ley says happily, handing Felix back his custom card.

“So… for your first, what are you planning with your card?” Felix asks again.

“I don’t know… I never really expected your family to give me a custom card," Ley answers. “But… I am curious as to what you did when you first got yours.”

“Uhh… I guess I bought a TV?” Felix answered unsurely.

“Ooh… That’s nice,” Ley responds. “To be honest, I’m not sure if I’m going to be comfortable enough to spend the Smiths’ money for myself.”

“Well, you still should,” Felix said confidently. “Because it’s actually better for the family reputation if you keep on buying things, which is what the balances of our custom cards can do.”

“I see… I guess I should buy stuff later?” Ley said unconfidently. “I mean… It’s not like I’m already planning on buying foods and snacks from that Asian marketplace I spotted before.”

“See… you already have something on your mind to buy,” Felix snickers, hearing Ley’s oversharing. “But what’s wrong with the snacks I bought for you?”

“Oh… overshared that, huh…?” Ley sighs defeatedly. “Well… if you must know, no offense, but I lowkey got bored of Canadian snacks, and it made me want to go back to my Filipino snacks.”

“I see,” Felix answered flatly. “But talking about later, shouldn’t I accompany you with your friends? Just in case?”

“Uhm… I don’t think hanging out with a group of people who call themselves the Weird Club is good for the most popular person in the school,” Ley said sarcastically. “Besides, I’m still a guy so I can protect myself.”

“Alright, then," Felix answered.

Yey! He bought my lame excuse of protecting myself… I mean, I really couldn’t say I have powers and am almost indestructible, which is why I’m confident I can go anywhere anytime. Ley internalizes.

“If you’d like, I’ll let you taste some of my favorite Filipino snacks," Ley offered.

“Sure. I look forward to it,” Felix answers.

After their conversation in the third-floor hallway ended, the two immediately boarded the school bus, in which Ley joined Felix in the last row, understanding that it’s probably for the best that he does for the sake of every student on the bus.

“Hey…“ Ley whispered to Felix, leaning comfortably toward him since the bus was still empty. “Was I wrong for exiting the bus first, entering the classroom first, and then stealing your seat?”

“It’s fine since those things are just dumb made-up rules that everyone made," Felix flatly whispers back. “Do you really think we care who exits the bus first or enters the classroom?”

“And the seat doesn't matter to me; it’s just a seat," Felix added, knowing it’s not something worth troubling Ley for.

“I see… I guess when you put it that way, it really sounds dumb," Ley replies. “But I was glad that I got to sit beside you despite picking the seat out of a whim.”

Since being informed that the rules held no value or importance, Ley semi-comfortably exited the bus first because of his motion sickness, which didn’t seem to get better compared to yesterday.

As Ley exited the bus, he noticed a group of people crowding a news board where the latest or relevant news is upheld there by the journalist club.

Yikes… That’s one way to overwhelm an introvert… Luckily, their attention is at the board. Hmmm… it wouldn’t hurt to check it out… Ley walked his way to the news board, where everyone’s eyes suddenly fell on him as he reached toward it. Jesus… These stares make me want everyone’s head to just explod… Oh. I probably shouldn’t think like that anymore because I have powers…

Oh… I can see why everyone’s staring at me… This headline saying, “Another Star… or Another Weirdo?" With my full-body pic on this huge ass board… Wait… isn’t this the bullying I was warned about? Ley questions. Doesn’t feel like bullying, though… Ugh. Everyone’s stares are more uncomfortable than this news… I mean, they didn’t even pick an unflattering photo of me or edit it to make me look ugly. If anything, this makes my ego a little big. Hehehehe. To be honest, I’d feel more offended and insulted if it was a random anonymous Twitter account posting my picture and saying that I’m ugly.

Felix, Mikay, and Jay, curious as to why everyone’s crowding the board, immediately went into the crowd that surrounded Ley only to realize that there had been offensive and incredibly insulting news on the board being read by Ley.

Felix’s eyes widened as he panicked, having read the news on the board, but he knew to not express it and stay calm.

“Well. It was only a matter of time before he'd been hit by your fans, Felix,” Jay said casually.

“True… But he doesn’t look bothered by it at all, though. If anything, it looks like he’s smiling…” Mikay mentioned.

She’s right. I panicked too fast, but rightfully so. This is someone who can kill the entire human race after all. Felix’s mind calmed down, observing the unbothered Ley.

“Will you two get rid of that from the board?” Felix says nonchalantly, yet his words gave shivers to Mikay and Jay. “If you don't, I will take care of it myself.”

Mikay and Jay stood silent in their positions as they took a deep breath at the terrifying request of Felix. Not because the tone of his voice was scary but by the fact that Felix had never requested anything like that or anything ever.

So, before they could even step inside their classroom, Mikay had already called the head of the journalist club to have the news removed.

“It’s done,” Mikay says to Felix, who’s now on his way to the classroom, trying to avoid the thoughts of what would have happened if Ley were to be insulted by the news.

But despite the fact that Felix wants to console Ley and confirm whether he’s been offended by it, he couldn’t, arriving at the classroom before Ley.

Jia noticed the news on the board and managed to read it earlier than Ley. Which then made her worried about Ley, who had just finished reading it.

“Hey, you okay?” Jia said concernedly as she latched onto the walking Ley’s left shoulder.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Ley questions.

“The news at the board?” Jia says.

“Ehh. I’ve been called worse, and being called a weirdo isn’t bad because I like being a weirdo," Ley shrugs. “I was kind of disappointed they didn’t make me look ugly in the photo… I mean, that’s the least you should do if you’re trying to hurt someone…”

“You’re right, and you did look good in that photo," Jia replies in relief. “So… did you get permission from the Smiths?”

“Yeah,” Ley said casually.

“That’s great!” Jia exclaims. “I guess I'll see you later.”

As Ley entered the classroom with Jia, Felix observed Ley’s attitude and mannerisms as he took the seat next to him.

Bothered by the fact that he couldn’t risk Ley being bothered, as it would manifest a negative emotion and convert into a mist, he decides to just text Ley.

“Hey, are you okay?” Felix texted Ley.

“Oh… I didn’t know you were someone who texts during classes…” Ley responds. “But… why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“You read the news on the board, didn’t you?” Felix answers.

“Oh… Whoever did that seriously needs to up their game, because that was weak," Ley replies. “I mean, I couldn’t help but laugh at how good I looked on the photo they chose.”

“So, I take it you’re not offended or insulted by it?” Felix texted, hoping to confirm.

“More like bored by it 😂,” Ley answers, making Felix silently giggle at his chair. “Wow… didn’t know you could smile at school.”

“What do you mean?” Felix texted as he briefly turned to his left to look at Ley.

“Ah-ah. Eyes on the phone,” Ley replies, keeping his gaze on his cellphone, noticing Felix in his right peripheral vision. “I just noticed that you don’t really smile a lot, which you should, because you’re cute with a smile.”

“Think about your fans who would really appreciate your smile,” Ley added. “Because most of the time, you look like a grumpy person.”

“It’s hard to smile when people don’t talk to you because everyone is scared of your family name," Felix responded. “And I can’t talk to them because they get scared when I try to.”

“Ah… That is a valid reason. But what about your two friends Mikayla and Jay?” Ley questions.

“They act the same as everyone. It’s because we’re only friends because our parents are,” Felix responds.

“Oh… That sucks. Didn’t know a rich white boy like you can still have issues like that…” Ley messaged. “I’d offer to help, but I don’t know anything about having rich friends, so… sorry."

“I see. I appreciate the thought, though," Felix replies. “I’m glad we’re friends, because you’re the only person who talks to me freely.”

Erm… what? Did I just find myself in a friendship where I’m friends with the alpha male that everyone is intimidated or scared of? That’s just crazy!!! Ley screams. And since I’m the only one who talks to him unfiltered, he slowly falls in love with me, and we get married!!! Hihihi! Okay, let’s calm down… I might have read and watched too many stories…

I never thought I'd feel bad about someone who’s so rich and powerful that their last name actually terrifies people into freely interacting with them. Ley thought.

“I’m glad too," Ley texted back. “But we should pay attention to classes now; you wouldn’t want to lose your good student status, would you?”

Felix smiled at the satisfaction he felt after Ley ended their conversation during classes, now paying attention to the lectures like everyone else.

Despite being a loner before on his first day of school, Ley now finds himself accompanied by the Weird Club at lunch.

“Hey,” Ley greeted the Weird Club with fistbumps and nods as they sat at the cafeteria table.

“Oh, nice. You guys play Mobile Legends too,” Ley exclaims, pointing at everyone’s worn pin. “But aren’t you missing a lane?”

“Yeah, Jia is our mage, I’m the marksman, Sean’s the fighter, and Xander is the jungler," Rui says. “We’re still missing a Roamer because Rain and Joshua don’t play.”

“Do you play?” Jia asks. “If you do, will you join our team? Any of us can adjust if you’re not exactly a roamer; we just can’t keep getting paired with one stupid random because it’s a 5v5 game."

“I mean, I could. But I’m a little rusty because I haven’t played for a while because I quit after it increased my anger issues," Ley answers. "The good news is, you don’t need to adjust, because I’m already a Roamer, which is probably the main reason why my anger issues kept increasing because I kept getting paired with stupid idiots who needed to be babied every single fucking time.”

“That’s perfect,” Rui responds. “We’ll play later or tomorrow; just tell us your socials so we can add you to our group chats.”

“Great,” Ley replies.

But just as everyone is comfortably eating their lunches with one another, Rain notices three pairs of eyes watching the group.

“The Star Triad has been staring at us for quite some time now," Rain softly informs the group.

“Really?” Ley questions, slightly turning his head over his shoulder to look. “Oh, you’re right.”

“I think they’re mostly looking at Ley,” Jia says. “Especially Felix Smith.”

“Oh, that? I’m not sure about it either, but I think Mrs. Smith asked him to watch me,” Ley says unconfidently. “He even asked if he could come with us, which I obviously declined.”

At the far, far-away table, where the Star Triad sat, Felix, Mikay, and Jay conversed as they watched Ley and his group of friends.

“He seems pretty cool for someone who’s inside the Weird Club,” Jay says.

“It’s probably for the best, anyway," Mikay says casually.

“Do I come off as grumpy to you guys?” Felix abruptly asks, making the two react confusedly and awkwardly uncomfortably.

“Not really,” Mikay calms herself as she answers, despite believing that Felix does come off as grumpy.

“Seconded,” Jay said casually.

They’re totally blinded by the Smith name. Felix internalizes, frustrated by the unhelpful answers the two gave.

After realizing that the two will probably never give him a helpful answer that does not actively say something negative about him, Felix frustratedly went on to eat his lunch.

The world felt so slow as the lunch period ended and as the classes went on. But it was primarily so for Ley who had been excited to meet the superpowered leader his friends mentioned named Grimm.

“Hey, Felly. I won’t be taking the bus, so you go ahead; I’ll just grab a cab on my way home,” Ley texts Felix, finally meeting the group in the Weird Club room.